


Ung roy, ung foy, ung loy

by NYWCgirl



Category: White Collar
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Major injuries, animal fights, shape shifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-05
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2019-01-09 08:58:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12273138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYWCgirl/pseuds/NYWCgirl
Summary: This is an old prompt left on collarkink in 2011:   AU: Peter is King with El as his Queen. Neal is their hot, sexy, very content slave/consort. Neal also is a spy for them or guard for El, being able to turn himself into a ebony black cat. He also has a penchant for liberating shiny items in the process. Peter is his soul-master and he must stay in one form or another until Peter gives him the command to change, Peter also can determine what type based on what he needs Neal to do. During testy negotiations with a rival kingdom, Neal and El are taken while Neal is in panther cat form, acting as one of El's guards. He is forced to fight in vicious animal fights. Peter goes postal and sets an example that Neal and El are off limits. He's horrified to see the conditions Neal is kept in and his condition. He and El nurse Neal back to health with help. Would like to see Moz as Peter's scribe, Diana as El's body guard, Jones as Peter's Captain of the Guards and Neal's secondary handler, and June as the apothecary, the only one besides Moz outside of the Burkes that knows of NEal's cat ability.





	Ung roy, ung foy, ung loy

**Author's Note:**

> Ung roy, ung foy, ung loy translates as One king, one faith, one law and it is the Motto on the Burke coat of arms or Family crest.  
> Pardus means Panther in latin
> 
> This story fills my ‘Secret identity discovered’ square on my H/C Bingo card.

 

‘No Blake, I won´t raise taxes, The harvest is expected to be low this year, so I am not going to make it more difficult for the commoners.’

‘But sire.’

‘Wasn´t I clear?’

‘Yes you were sire. It is very noble of you, I will inform the tax collectors.’

‘Jones, how are negotiations with Fowler?’

‘Difficult.’

‘If you need me to sit in on these meetings, let me know.’

‘I will.’

Neal bumps his head against Peter´s hand to show that he is feeling neglected. Without looking, Peter starts petting Neal and a low purr can be heard from under the table. The meeting continues without further interruption. Everybody around the table knows about the King´s slave and knows that he won´t let himself be neglected, not even during official meetings. He never interrupts the proceedings, but when he feels neglected, he will let himself be known.

When the meeting is over, Peter stands up and Neal follows him into the private chambers of the royal pair.

The moment the door closes behind them, Neal seductively jumps on the bed, he stretches like a big cat, demanding attention from his master. Peter admires the sight in front of him. Neal´s eyes have been blackened with Kohl, which accentuate his blue eyes. The tight black leather pants he is wearing leave nothing to the imagination. His shirt is not tied and reveals his chest and the thick gold band he wears around his neck. It is more than clear what Neal wants.

‘Not now Neal, I need to take care of some business. Can you check on Mozzie? He is supposed to write a letter I need.’

‘You are boring today, you know that?’ Neal pouts.

Peter smiles.

‘I know, I will make it up to you. When you retrieve the letter, you can go play with El, she will be happy to.’

 

* *  *

 

Neal walks to the library where Mozzie is copying something. He looks very busy.

‘Hi Mozzie, Peter asked me to come get a letter?’

‘Yeah, it is on the table.’

Neal studies the library, there are so many nice and shiny things here. His fingers itch. He walks up to the table and takes the letter, along with a gold chain.

‘I´ll just bring this letter to Peter then.’

‘Sure. As long as you leave the chain on the table.’

Neal frowns, how did Mozzie know? Oh well, he smiles, drops the chain and walks out. He will get it another time.

 

* *  *

 

Peter is looking for the pin to fasten his cloak. It was sure he left it in his chambers and now it is gone, he is in a hurry, because he promised El to go hunting. Suddenly he knows where it is. Where it has to be if he can´t find it.

‘NEAL!’

Neal comes running in.

‘Yes, master?’

‘Where is my cloak pin?’

Neal´s face doesn´t betray him, but his eyes start to twinkle.

‘I haven´t seen it, master.’

‘Yes, you have, now give it to me, because I am going to be late.’

‘I don´t have it.’

‘Neal, I warn you, if you don´t give it, I will not allow you in our room tonight.’

Peter can see Neal takes the threat seriously and with a suppleness Peter is amazed by, he crawls into the beams of the roof. Leave it to a Neal to hide it high up somewhere. Neal´s love for shiny objects is notorious. If he didn´t know better, Peter would say Neal´s animal form would be a magpie.

 

* *  *

 

‘Sire, Jones’ squire has informed me that Lord Fowler has stopped the negotiations and is on his way with his troops.

‘What?’ Peter turns his head to look at Mozzie.’

‘That is not good. That means we have ourselves an enemy we have to take seriously. How long until they will be here.’

‘Within hours, depending if they can get fresh horses.’

 

 

* *  *

 

‘Macska’

The moment Peter says the word, Neal changes in his feline form. The low growl coming from deep within his chest, would scare most humans, but Peter is unfazed. The big black panther walks up to Peter and pushes his head against Peter´s hand, who lets his hand follow the black soft fur.

‘Stay with El. Protect her.’

Neal quickly runs off in search for his queen. The moment he finds her, he is sort of relieved when he sees Diana, the queen´s bodyguard with her. But that relief is short lived when soldiers storm the garden. Neal sprints towards the soldier closest to his queen and attacks the man viciously. Diana fights off a small army, while Elizabeth runs back towards the palace. Neal stays close but yelps when an arrow hits him high in the left hind leg. Within moments, he needs to slow down, his muscles seem to lose their strength and he falls through his hind legs. He is not completely out, but can´t get up and it doesn´t take the soldiers long to put him in a net. While they carry him away, he can see that Diana is lying down in the grass and a struggling Elizabeth is carried away, just like him. He growls deep in his throat in an attempt to show that he is not completely down.

He is stuffed in a cage and they are off. Neal tries to stay awake, but the wobbling of the cart, soon has him dozing off.

 

* *  *

 

Neal´s adrenaline spikes the moment the blanket is pulled from his cage, in front of him is a huge dog. His heart leaps by the sight. The dog is growling and straining against the leash that keeps him in his place. Neal tucks himself in a corner of the cage they are keeping him in. He hisses at the dog, but he knows that he can´t escape this fight. The last fight left him with scratches and bites, nothing life threatening, they just hurt. They haven´t treated his injuries and he barely gets fed, and he can feel his strength slowly being drained. But he needs to get through this, so he can escape and find Elizabeth, Peter asked to take care of her. And as long as Peter doesn´t order him, he can´t change back to his human form and he will have to make do like this.

The cage is opened and he quickly leaves it, he can´t stay in the cage, if the dog gets in, his changes decrease. He barely is out of the cage when the dog is released and charges towards him. His human instincts tell him to run, his feline tells him to wait it out and hit the dog in the muzzle. His sharp claws can rip its eyes out. In the end, the dog probably has never encountered a panther before, cats probably, but Neal´s reach is far longer than the average cat and he is a whole lot powerful. In the end he claws the eyes out of the dog. He can hear the dog whine. He hates himself for hurting an innocent animal. On the other hand, if he hadn´t done it, the dog would have had no mercy killing him.

He avoided being bitten this time, but the dog´s paws have left some deep gashes in his skin and Neal can smell the blood that is seeping in his coat over the dog´s blood. When the cage is opened, he doesn´t return to it. He knows this is suspicious, as any other animal would retreat the moment they could. With a slight limp he walks in the small arena and studies the men who came to watch the fight.

There he is, Lord Fowler, Peter´s arch rival. One of his men is holding Elizabeth who is fighting her tears. Fowler gives her a cruel smile and whispers something in her ear. She hits him square in the jaw and is pulled away before she can inflict further damage. Fowler holds his jaw while he furiously watches while Elizabeth is dragged away kicking and screaming.

Neal studies his surroundings to see if he can manage to jump over the fence of the arena, but before he can do anything, a net is thrown over him. Neal snarls at the men who drag him back to his cage.

Once inside, they throw a heavy blanket over it. Neal curls up in a ball and starts licking his fur. It is soothing and he needs his rest so he lets himself fall asleep, there is nothing he can do at the moment.

 

* *  *

 

Peter is fuming, he has ordered his guards to make themselves ready for battle. His spies already infiltrated and gathered information. On the other hand he is furious that Fowler had the audacity to kidnap his wife and consort, on the other hand he is furious that he allowed it to happen. And he will not admit this, but he is worried sick about his family. A spy has told him that his wife is unharmed, but the news about Neal is more worrying. The spy said that he didn´t know what had happened to his pet, but that it was injured. That is why he needed to be quick. For Fowler´s men, this is just a pet they can mistreat for their amusement, they don´t know about Neal´s abilities. Nobody does, except for a few trusted people in Peter´s direct vicinity.

‘Jones!’

‘Yes, my lord?’

‘Tell me we are ready.’

‘Sire, I must…’

Peter interrupts Jones by slamming his fist on the table.

‘Fowler wants a battle? I will give him war!’ He snarls.

Jones realizes it is wiser to keep his mouth shut.

A bell can be heard and Jones runs towards the window to see what is happening.

‘King Hughes is here, sire, he brought his army and so has Lord Ruiz.’

‘Raise the drawbridge.’

Pardus Hold was normally open to everybody who wanted to trade or seek shelter, but since Elizabeth had been kidnapped, Peter has closed the castle off.

‘Ruiz, he is here?’ Peter asks a bit surprised. Ruiz and he are not enemies, but they have their differences.

Peter quickly walks out to the yard to greet both kings.

‘King Hughes, Lord Ruiz, welcome to Pardus Hold. Come inside, I will ask my servants to take care of your men.’

The men walk back to the great hall where servants already placed refreshments for the guests.

‘We were informed that Lord Fowler has taken your wife.’

‘Yes, with the act, he declared war.’

‘Yes he has, I had hoped we could have negotiated, but it is clear he instigated this, so to war we will go.’ Hughes states.

Before night falls, four more families arrive at the castle to offer their alliance to Peter. They plan their attack carefully and once everybody is clear on their strategy, they turn in for the night.

 

* *  *

 

 

It is Jones that locates Elizabeth. He quickly frees her and guides her back towards Peter. The moment Peter catches eye of her, a weight is lifted and he runs towards her. She falls in his arms and for a moment they are all alone in the world, gathering strength from each other’s presence. Elizabeth is the first to let go.

‘We need to find Neal, they were planning on fighting him with a bear. Fowler wanted me to witness the fight, but I refused, I…’

‘It´s OK, we will find Neal.’

Peter grits his teeth, he knows it would be bad, but a bear, Neal won´t have a chance. It is a good thing Elizabeth refuses to watch the fight.

‘Hand me a sword.’ She calls out and Peter hands her a small one so it won´t be too heavy to lift. Elizabeth´s dad had learned his daughters how to defend themselves and Peter had always believed women should be able to defend themselves, so El and he practiced regularly. He knows she can defend herself. The moment they are able to free Diana, Peter knows the two women will be OK and he can focus on finding Neal. He orders Jones and Blake to stay with the women.

They make their way through the castle guided by Elizabeth, who knows where they let the animals fight, having to witness them.

The moment, they step into the small arena, Peter´s vision narrows to Neal. He is badly limping and blood is everywhere. The bear has some impressive scratches over its muzzle, but Neal is no match to the weight and bulk of the large bear. The bear attacks again and Neal is not quick enough to get out of its path. The bear bites in Neal´s flank, allowing Neal to bite as well, but it clear that Neal won’t make it if they don´t intervene. Neal must have lost a lot of blood, because it is everywhere.

Peter and Jones jump in the ring and with a couple of swift slices of their blades the bear is dead. The moment the bear let go of Neal, he stays motionless where he is dropped. Neal doesn´t move and Jones and Peter pull the bear away. They can see Neal is still breathing, although very labored. Peter tries to assess the damage, but he has wounds everywhere.

‘Blake, warn Mozzie and June, make sure they are ready when we arrive back home.’

Blake immediately takes off. Diana and Elizabeth enter the arena.

‘Ruiz, take care of the situation and send Jones to us with a blanket so we can carry him to a cart to take him home. I will try to bandage his wounds.’

Diana already comes back with pieces of cloth and they start to bandage the big wounds. They will need to be quick, because he lost a lot of blood and already wasn´t in the best of shape.

Jones comes back with the blanket and they carefully lift Neal on top of it. The pain must sort of rouse him, because he snarls at them, probably no longer aware who is handling him. But they are just weak attempts. By the time they reach the cart, Neal no longer makes any noise and he is completely limp.

‘Peter, he won´t make it.’

Peter thinks for a second and then calls out to Jones.

‘Peter, take care of your wife and pet, we will guide your men back to Pardus Hold.’ Hughes tells him.

‘Jones, help me put him over my horse.’

Jones and two other men do their best to lift the one hundred and thirty pound heavy panther in front of Peter. Once Peter has a good hold of him, he is off. Elizabeth, Jones and Diana follow Peter on horseback. The small party go as fast as they can until they are out of view. Peter halts his horse and asks Jones for assistance.

‘Férfi.’ Peter whispers in Neal´s ear.

The transformation is instant and Peter is suddenly holding an unconscious Neal in his arms. Jones helps adjusting him, so he is sitting in front of Peter who grabs him around the chest so he keeps upright. Jones puts the blanket around Neal and ties leather straps from their belts around the two men to prevent Neal from sliding of the horse. The moment he is done, they are off again.

It is already dark when they arrive at Pardus and Mozzie and June are already waiting for them in the yard. Neal is carried insight and placed on a table. A servant is ordered to keep the fires going so the room is comfortably warm. It is only now that Neal is laying down in his human form that Peter can see the full extent of his injuries. There are bite marks all over his body. Bruises and scratches mare his boy in different stages of healing. He is filthy. Elizabeth places a cloth over and under Neal´s private parts. June, Peter´s private apothecary is already making ointments to cover the open wounds to prevent infection. She tells Mozzie to take the vial with the potion she made earlier and try to coax it into Neal. But she warns him that he needs to be awake, otherwise he can choke on the liquid.

Peter says his goodbyes to Elizabeth, and the rest, before returning to his men. He has to take care of Fowler.

Mozzie gently tries to wake Neal, but Neal doesn´t respond to the urgent calling of Mozzie. June rummages through her vials and takes a small glass vial, she holds it under Neal´s nose and opens it. Neal´s face contracts and with it, a low growl can be heard. June realizes Neal is somewhere trapped between his human and feline form.

‘Neal? We need to take care of you, can you open your eyes for me?’

One of the servant girls is washing out a pretty deep bite wound and somewhere deep down, the pain must register, because Neal´s eyes snap open. He tries to sit up, but it is clear that he is just too weak.

‘Stay down, you are hurt pretty bad. We are taking care of you, but I want you to drink this.’ June explains.

‘Wh’r ‘s El?’ Neal slurs.

‘She is fine and so is Diana. Peter got everybody out.’

Neal nods weakly, swallowing the liquid, Mozzie holds in front of him. His face contracts from the bitter taste and a low moan escapes him when his wounds are cleaned. Mozzie does his best to keep him awake, but in the end, Neal loses his battle and his eyes roll back before going completely limp. It makes their work easier with Neal unconscious, because cleaning out all the wounds must hurt fiercely.

Once they cleaned all the wounds, June and Elizabeth both take needle and thread out of the boiling water and start sewing the large wounds shut. They both do their best to keep the sutures as small as possible to keep the scarring minimal. When they are done, June retrieves a jar and takes out the snails inside. She rubs them on some of the wounds, explaining to Elizabeth it will help with the pain and heal the wound.

Mozzie carries the pot with warm wine towards June, who adds garlic and onion. They leave it for the wine to absorb the ingredients while four servants carry Neal to his bed in Peter´s and Elizabeth´s bedroom. Elizabeth leaves the curtain between the beds open so she can see and hear Neal if something would be wrong during the night. June checks Neal´s state and thinks.

‘Cindy, I need Saint John´s Wort. You know what it looks like.’

Cindy nods and takes her cloak.

‘I will go with you.’ Diana suggest.

Both women walk out in search for the herb. June wants to make sure she has enough when Neal´s fever spikes. With the wounds he has sustained, fever is to be feared.

 

* *  *

 

Peter enters the castle very early in the morning, the sun can be seen already. He makes sure his companions are taken care of before walking up to his bed chambers. Elizabeth is sleeping so Peter walks up to Neal´s bed to check up on him. When Peter brings the torch closer, he can see how pale Neal is, sweat is pouring out of his pores and his sheets are soaked. This is not good.

‘Neal?’

Peter gently shakes Neal.

‘Peter?’ Elizabeth´s sleepy voice calls out.

‘Yes, it is me. Neal is unwell, can you get June?

Elizabeth hurries towards June, who has her chamber close by.

When they walk in, June immediately starts looking through the vials she placed on a table next to Neal´s bed.

‘I feared he would develop a fever. Luckily Cindy and Diana found the Saint John´s wort.’

With the help of Peter, they get Neal in a more or less sitting position and are able to wake him up enough to drink the tincture June made earlier. The jostling makes Neal moan and weakly trying to fight them off. Peter shushes him and Neal quickly falls asleep again.

‘You go to sleep Peter, you must be exhausted. I will watch Neal.’

Peter nods tiredly. When Junes leaves the room, he strips his armor off and Elizabeth gasps. There is a large cut over his left arm.

‘Why didn´t you say anything?’

‘It is just a scratch.’

‘No it is not, let me call June back.’

‘No need, I will wash the wound and it will be OK.’

‘Let me call for some water.’

 

* *  *

 

The next morning everybody is up early, bandages and sheets need to be changed. Neal is tossing restless in the bed. His eyes are open, but he isn´t really lucid. The fever is raging in his body, leaving red cones on his otherwise pale cheeks. His hair is sweat soaked and sticks to his head. Whenever he wears himself out, they place a piece of pre-chewed willow bark in his mouth, so he will swallow the juices with his saliva. June explained that it will help with the fever and pain.

She also made a concoction of sage, willow, fennel, cloves, cormorant blood, mandrake, dragon´s blood and three kinds of pepper. Peter asks about the ingredients and explains that there are no such things as dragons. June just rolls her eyes and explains that it is the resin of a tree called Dracaena Draco and that it has wound-healing properties. She calmly tells Peter to mind his own business as she knows what she is doing and that she is trying to save the boy´s life.

Peter apologizes and goes in search of breakfast.

When he comes back, Neal is sleeping peacefully. June explains that it is the mandrake that sedates him so his body can heal itself.

 

* *  *

 

In the end, June tells Peter to let Neal shift in his feline form as it is stronger than is human form. Maybe as a panther, he can heal himself quicker.

While Peter carts his fingers through Neal´s hair, he gives the command, ‘Macska.’

Neal instantly shifts, Peter keeps petting the soft black fur. A low growl escapes Neal´s throat and Peter looks Neal in the eyes, they seem brighter, less feverish.

‘Neal, I need you, Elizabeth needs you. You need to find the strength to fight this. I am sorry that I couldn´t get you quicker and that you had to go through this, but please, please, don´t give up.’

Neal slowly raises his large black paw and puts it on Neal´s leg. Peter´s heart aches to see his consort so weak. Neal has always been so strong and vital.

Suddenly Mozzie storms through the door.

‘Peter, I…’

Mozzie stops death in his tracks.

‘Where is Neal?’

‘What brings you here?’ Peter tries to deflect.

‘Oh please, Peter, that isn´t going to work with me. Where is Neal? He is too weak to go outside.’

Mozzie comes closer and can see the wound on the panther´s ear, it is the same as the one he cleaned on Neal.

‘Neal?’ Mozzie stares in disbelief at the large cat in front of him. ‘This is Neal?’

‘Mozzie, what…’

‘No, Peter, tell me. Neal is a shape shifter?’

‘I…’ Peter deflates, Mozzie is loyal to him, always has been, there is no need to lie, ‘yes, Neal is a shape shifter.’

Mozzie slowly and carefully puts his hand on Neal´s furred body.

‘Now I understand your concern for the panther. Who else knows about this?’

‘June, Jones, Diana and El. This has to be our secret, you understand?’

Mozzie nods.

‘I´m sorry Mozzie, we should have told you, but we thought it best for as few people as possible knew about this.’

‘I should have known, he always stole stuff from me and I would always find it somewhere high, in the beams, trees, as long as it was somewhere almost unreachable. Panthers do that with their pray, stupid of me for not figuring it out.’

Peter smiles, yeah, that is Neal, always lifting shiny things, it didn´t even have to be precious, as long as it was shiny, he needed to take it.

‘What did you need from me?’ Peter asks.

‘I think it is better you come with me.’

‘OK’

Peter pulls his arm from under the sleeping cat and follows Mozzie outside.

 

* *  *

 

‘PETER!’

Peter jumps up and has his hand on his sword while running towards El´s voice.

‘What´s wrong?’

‘Neal is gone.’

‘What do you mean gone?’

‘I went to check up on him and give him his medicine, and he wasn´t in his bed.’

‘Did you check the room?’

‘Of course I did.’ El snaps back.

‘Sorry, just checking, let´s see if we can find him.’

They find Neal curled up in a small black ball of fur next to Mozzie in the library.

‘How did he get here?’

‘He just limped in. He seemed to like the wicker basket I keep for the wood, so I put a blanket inside and he just curled up next to the fire. He has been sleeping ever since. Something wrong?’

‘No, we… or better Elizabeth couldn´t find him and he needs his medicine.’

Elizabeth shows him the piece of meat. Mozzie nods in understanding.

‘Do you want to wake him or shall I give it to him when he wakes?’

‘Maybe it is better that you give it to him when he wakes.’

‘Fine, I will. Just leave it on the table.’

‘Will you join us for supper?’

‘Sure, I will come down. Can I now finish my work?’

‘We will leave you to it. Take care of Neal.’

‘I will.’

 

* *  *

 

The next day, Neal is still sleeping in the library. Mozzie tells Peter over breakfast. He reports that Neal has been sleeping mostly. So June must have been right that Neal´s feline form is better fending off disease.

Peter is sitting on his throne, taking care of the day to day business when Neal slowly limps in. He walks straight up to Peter and lays down next to the throne, like he always does. Peter proudly looks at him and gives him a quick pet before shifting his attention back to the problem at hand.

When he is done, Neal slowly follows him to Peter´s private chambers and Peter lets him shift back into his human form. He takes Neal into a bear hug and Neal lets him. He needs the physical contact.

‘How are you feeling?’

‘Good, better.’

‘Peter takes a cloak from a chair and wraps it around Neal.

‘I took care of Fowler.’

‘I knew you would. How is El?’

‘She is fine, she was worried about you. We were worried.’

‘Thank you for saving me.’

‘That is what I do. Now let us take care of you. If you are good, I will get you some catnip.’

Neal´s eyes twinkle in joy and lets himself be guided back to bed. He will be fine. They will be fine. Maybe he can persuade his master and mistress to join him in bed.

 

 

 


End file.
